Self-Driving Car Hits Bus

Nancy Trimble on

In recent months, there has been a whole lot of speculation about the potential of self-driving cars. While the prospect seems promising, all the kinks haven’t been worked out just yet. To underscore this, an accident report that was filed with California’s Department of Motor Vehicles recently indicated that it was one such self-driving car that was being tested by tech giant Google collided with a city bus on February 14th.

The report submitted to the DMV by Google indicated that the accident occurred with one of the two dozen Lexus SUVs that the company outfitted with sensors and cameras that was being tested. Tests of the vehicles are conducted near the company’s headquarters in Simi Valley.

Google said in the report that the test vehicle was attempting to get around some sandbags on a city street when the left front end of the SUV struck the right side of a city bus. The self-driving vehicle was traveling at a speed of wrote that its car was trying to get around some sandbags on a city street when its left front struck the right side of the bus. The car was rolling a mph while the bus was going 15 mph at the time of the crash.

No one was injured in the two-vehicle accident.

Google admits to bearing some of the responsibility in the accident. The onboard sensors of the Google test car predicted that the bus would yield when it pulled out in an attempt to avoid the obstruction in the road caused by the sandbags. The driver who was monitoring the onboard movements of the driverless car also thought that the bus would yield, however, the bus did not give the smaller vehicle the right of way and so there was a minor collision.

Just as misunderstandings occur on the road between humans, now the tech company has a better understanding that larger vehicles such as cars and trucks often are less likely to yield to smaller vehicles.

As you can see, accidents can happen, even in the high tech world of driverless cars. So far, no technology has been created that can prevent this 100% of the time.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident as a direct result, no matter who is at fault, give our offices a call today. Our attorneys have years of experience within the Texas legal system and we will be happy to take the time to discuss the specifics of your accident case.

When you meet with us, we will listen to the specifics then outline all of the potential outlines for your accident case. We want to see you and your family receive the maximum compensation in your accident cause for any damages, injuries, or other related expenses. We are dedicated to getting you all the compensation you deserve. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and legal analysis.